MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on Sunday for a previously undisclosed visit aimed at easing diplomatic tensions over Jubaland and Ethiopia’s engagement with Somaliland.
The visit came a day after reports emerged that Ethiopia opposes Mogadishu’s plans to establish a parallel administration in the Gedo region of Jubaland, which borders Ethiopia.
“Today, I met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, for discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest,” Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in a statement after the meeting.
Ethiopia recently sent military and intelligence officials to the Somali border town of Dolow. According to local sources, they told community leaders that Addis Ababa would view any attempt to create a rival administration in Gedo as a threat to its national security.
Diplomatic sources said Mohamud is also seeking to persuade Ethiopia not to host the president of Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia that declared independence in 1991 but is not internationally recognised.
Talks between the Somali federal government and Jubaland’s regional leader Ahmed Madobe collapsed last week in one day. Abiy is reportedly pushing for Mohamud to return to the southern city of Kismayo to resume negotiations.
Kenya is expected to host the Somali president in the coming days and is said to support renewed dialogue between Mogadishu and Jubaland. The Somali presidency has not confirmed the next stop in Mohamud’s regional tour.
The visit underscores tensions in the Horn of Africa, where Somalia’s federal government is seeking to assert authority amid overlapping regional interests and ongoing disputes with semi-autonomous administrations.
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